Top Spring/Summer 2012 Trends

It is not necessary for us to determine our key Spring/Summer look this year by colour or number just trust in the letter 'p': paisley, pastels, pyjamas, platform wedge, print clash and plain white.

Jil Sander S/S 2012

Paisley is the new floral for fans of a summer print. It works best as a separate rather than an all over look. Think more along the lines of Megan in Mad Men, a trend that represents freedom of expression and elegance rather than dismiss it as a seventies interior faux pas. Be economical; invest in a paisley pyjama trouser which can be styled up smart with a shirt or styled down to a casual look teamed with your new favourite high tops.

Philip Lim S/S 2012

Wear pastels on your lip and your hip. The candy colour suit is a ladylike alternative to the pencil skirt. It can be an overtly feminine trend however tailoring will give it a more modest and understated look. Soft peach, pink and violet shades will now be featuring in your work wardrobe.

Isabel Marant

Trainers are huge this season; literally. At last we can breathe a sign of relief by wearing a platform that will not leave our feet throbbing at the end of the day. I am not sure whether it is the Olympics that has had an influence over the new footwear choices but I am liking the comfort it brings. If you have not purchased a pair already, Italian designer, Ash are the new byword in high tops and do the best Isabel Marant copy.

Giambattista Valli S/S 2012

White does not necessarily mean boring or plain and it can be as flattering on your summer silhouette as black is in winter. Nor do you need to have a St. Tropez tan. This year's white for summer is about minimal effort. Best to opt for a classic or cult piece that you can wear for more than one year. A dress or sheer top will enhance your choice of basics.

Mary Katrantzou S/S 2012

Mary Katrantzou is queen of the print clash and the way she has earned that reputation is by doing it well. Print clash does not necessarily mean that you look messy or that you lack understanding in basic fashion rules; it is about choosing a theme. Try to pick out the same colours in your top and trouser that will compliment each other or prints that are not world's apart. For example a tribal and polka dot clash would be a no - no yet a busy floral with a busy paisley just might work.

Pimp my phone

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One of the reasons I have a mobile phone is to indulge in my appetite for shopping. It is true. Even my anklet has a dainty keepsake box. I am more enamoured with my iPhone case than the phone's operations, ability to contact NASA or deliver take away at the drop of a hat. I jest.

Obviously I have more than one case as I have more than one handbag. I have one to match each of my outfits or mood. Stitch from Disney's Lilo and Stitch fame is an alternative to my pink Hello Kitty case. It is detachable meaning you can take his ears off. He is currently in the sale as he was a seasonal gift. That means he is a bargain to boot. A Disney character iPhone case is not just for Christmas.

The Disney - ing Heights

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You are either a Disney or a Pixar person and as Pixar was not as popular as the giant, Disney during my formative years I would have to show more allegiance to the company with the castle - in - the - sky iconography.

I think my unfaltering support can be deduced by the fact that I got my debit card stolen as a student in the Bond Street branch of the Disney store buying a Tinkerbell pencil sharpener. I never used pencils on my degree course. And of course who hasn't completed the: 'which princess am I?' competition on Facebook (Belle and I cannot for the life of me remember why, but I will take it as I am not that fond of sleeping or dwarves but properly like beasts). 

The Disney Couture range is like the adult designed Harry Potter books, a bit more expensive but you feel that you are not childish for liking it. This 3D castle ring is £59.99 from Asos but it is trendy, kitsch and gold - plated. It taps into the fantastical of fashion where you feel you have special powers. When I was nine I had a pair of Clarks shoes which came with a key to unlock into the sole of the shoe. They were actually called Magic Shoes. I felt I could enter a special portal of a princess land and overcome treacherous and dangerous quests. I even remember the advert, the girl saves a fairytale land from a wicked witch. The Disney couture range at Asos is the 2012 grown up equivalent. 

Pugs away!

Back in 2010 Gladys and Pixie, Brix Smith - Start's pugs were seen on the New York Mulberry catwalk show. At the time I thought, "uh, pugs are they in fashion now, eh?" I just saw another revival of 'It' girls carrying them around in their handbags wearing Juicy Couture tracksuits and that thought filled me with impending doom. Then Louis Vuitton got in on the act and slowly but surely their little faces have endeared themselves onto me and now I think: "pugs - yeah!" And like I always say before taking on board any passing fashion whim: "If it is good enough for LV, it is good enough for me." And I always thought I was strictly a Hello Kitty girl.

Grazia picture

Luisa Via Roma, the online luxury retailer has collaborated with designers, Mary Karantzou, Balmain and Valentino to create special edition teddy bear pugs. They have been auctioned on Ebay to help raise money for the children's charity, Unicef. On further discovery pugs are not just a pretty face. Josephine Bonaparte used her precious pet, Fortune to carry messages to her family when she was in prison before her marriage to Napolean. The breed is said to have flourished under Queen Victoria's reign. This Balmain pug looks ready for his royal close up. It has been confirmed in 2012, it's pugs away, as the pug is now here to stay.